A City of Millions, A Planet of Billions, A Soul on its Own - Haiku Poem by Nick Wong

This will be my last post; it is devoted to Tehran, the city in which I have spent the last 5 1/2 weeks. I have mixed feelings about Tehran, but it deserves an introduction of some sort.

Tehran is the capital city of Iran with an elevation of 2,952 to 6,003 feet (900 to 1,830 meters) and a population of over 15 million. It lies on the edge of the Alborze Mountains in the north of Iran.

    

Above and top two photos: Old Tehran.

The first mention of Tehran is by the 13^th century geographer Ahahab Oddin Abu Abdollah in his book Mojam Ol Boldan. He mentions Tehran as one of the villages around the city of Rey with rebellious inhabitants who disregard their governors and clash amongst themselves. Tehranis were also known for living in underground dwellings. The origins of the name Tehran remain unclear.

Rey Fire Temple dates back to 2000 years ago.

The city of Rey, on the other hand, was setteled over 7,000 years ago and was once an important Median city by the name of Rhaga. In the Old Persian inscriptions, the city appears as a province that was important to the Medes, especially the Achaemenid kings. The birthplace of Zoroaster (Zarathustra) is given as Rhaga in Middle Persian texts, yet modern scholars conclude that Zoroaster was born in Khorasan (eastern part of Iran). In 641 AD Rey became the last stand for Sassanid King Yazdgerd III during the Arab invasion. King Yazdgerd sent his last appeal to his people and then fled to Khorasan in eastern Iran. 

Rey resisted the Arab Invasion but was destroyed once captured by the Arabs. The Mongol attack of 1220 brought Rey to complete destruction. With the fall of Rey, Tehran started developing into a town of its own. By the time of Shah Tahmasb I of the Safavids in the 16^th century, ramparts were constructed around the town, and Tehran grew into a city.

Toopkhooneh Square, Tehran, 1911.

Tehran in the 1950s.

Agha Mohammad Khan, founder of the Qajar dynasty (1789-1797), established Tehran as his capital and royal buildings and dwellings were constructed.  However, after fifty years of Qajar rule, the city did not have more than 80,000 inhabitants within a walled citadel consisting of the neighborhoods of Udlajan, Chale Meydan, and Sangelaj. 

Tehran in the mid 20th Century.

Tehran in the 1960s.

By the time of Reza Shah Pahlavi in the 1020s and 1930s, the city was rebuilt and modernized. To do so, ancient buildings, city walls, and gates were demolished in 1937 in order to allow for easy movement of goods and vehicles through the city. 

Northern Tehran and the Alborz Mountains.

Above and Top: The Nature Bridge, or Poleh Tabiat, was
designed by Laila Araghian, a 25 year-old female
architect and completed in 2014. 

Tehran, the National Museum.

Tehran Metro.

Tehran at night.

Since the age of modernization, Tehran has grown to include all the surrounding villages into the metropolitan area. For example, once known as Vanak village, Vanak is now part of the northern section of Tehran. 

National Gate, Qajar period.

One of many contemporary residential buildings in Tehran.

Mount Tochal ski gondola lifts start from Velenjak in
Northern Tehran at 6,300 feet (1900 meters) and end
in the last station at 12,270 feet (3740 meters). 

Tehran has grown to reach the outskirts of the Alborz Mountains to the north and the edge of the desert in the south. To the west, Tehran has spread into the city of Karaj and to the east, it has reached the eastern villages and towns. Had it not been for the Alborz Mountains, Tehran would no doubt be on the shores of the Caspian Sea by now!